Abstract
A method for the individualized adaptation of the shape of components includes providing a basic material for producing the components. Next at least one unifying production method is selected. The components are then produced with a geometrically identical base shape by the unifying production method. Then at least one individualizing production method is selected. Then the shape of the components is adapted to at least two different final shapes by the individualizing production method that is different from the unifying production method. The final shape of each component differs from its basic shape.
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. A method for individually adapting the shape of components of a supporting structure, comprising: a) providing a metal sheet as the basic material for producing components; b) producing the components by at least one unifying production method selected from the group consisting of punching or pressing, such that the components have a geometrically identical basic shape; and c) adapting the shape of the components by at least one individualizing production method selected from the group consisting of profile bending, incremental forming, forming with an elastic die, or additive manufacturing, such that the components have one of at least two different final shapes, wherein the unifying production method differs from the individualizing production method, and wherein a final shape of each component differs from its basic shape.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the basic material for producing the components is one of sheet steel or aluminum sheet.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of producing the components comprises producing the components by at least two different unifying production methods.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of adapting the shape of the components comprises adapting the shape of the components by at least two different individualizing production methods.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the components are junction elements of a support structure, wherein the junction elements have at least two connecting points.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said adapting step includes adapting at least one of the shape or the orientation of at least one connecting point of the junction elements.
16. The method of claim 10, wherein in said adapting step, the individualizing production method of profile bending is performed as profile bending with an articulated mandrel.
17. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of build-up welding the components as an additive manufacturing method.
18. The method of claim 10, wherein said producing and adapting steps are performed together in the same plant.
19. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of producing the components by at least one unifying production method, comprises: producing half shells; and after the half shells are produced, connecting the half shells to each other by a joining operation to create the component having the basic shape.
Description
[0022] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which illustrates just one preferred exemplary embodiment. In the drawing:
[0023] FIG. 1: shows a schematic illustration of a first refinement of a method according to the invention,
[0024] FIG. 2: shows a schematic illustration of a second refinement of a method according to the invention, and
[0025] FIG. 3a-FIG. 3c: show different steps in the production of a junction element of a supporting structure by a method according to the invention.
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a first refinement of a method according to the invention. In step a), a basic material is provided for producing components. Said basic material can be metal sheets, in particular steel sheets or aluminium sheets. Step b) relates to the selection of a unifying production method, i.e. a production method which produces components with an identical, standard shape. In step c), the components are processed or produced with the previously selected unifying production method. The unifying production method from steps b) and c) is, for example, punching, pressing or hydroforming. The results of method steps a) to c) are components with an identical, standard shape whichsince it does not yet correspond to the final shapeis also referred to as the basic shape.
[0027] In the case of the refinement of the method that is illustrated in FIG. 1, an individualizing production method, i.e. a production method which produces components with different final shapes, is selected in d). Step e) finally relates to the adaptation of the shape of the components by the previously selected individualizing production method. The individualizing production method from steps d) and e) is, for example, a forming process, such as profile bending, in particular profile bending with an articulated mandrel, incremental forming or forming with an elastic die. Alternatively or additionally, the individualizing production method from steps d) and e) can be an additive manufacturing method, in particular build-up welding, for example laser build-up welding. The result of method steps d) and e) is components with different final shapes.
[0028] In the case of the refinement of the method that is illustrated in FIG. 1, only one individualizing production method is selected and used; with this production method, individual, different final shapes of the components are nevertheless achieved. In the case of the refinement of the method that is illustrated in FIG. 1 and is to this extent preferred, components with a total of two different final shapes are produced in step e) by the individualizing production method. Alternatively thereto, three or more different final shapes can also be achieved in step e) by the individualizing production method.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a second refinement of a method according to the invention. The steps of the method that are already described in conjunction with FIG. 1 are provided with corresponding reference signs in FIG. 2. The method steps a) to c) correspond to the first refinement of the method that is illustrated in FIG. 1, and therefore components having an identical, standard (basic) shape are initially also obtained this time. However, the further steps of the second refinement of the method that is shown in FIG. 2 differ from the first refinement of the method that is illustrated in FIG. 1. The first difference resides in the fact that, in step d), not just one, but two different individualizing production methods are selected. However, the group of suitable production methods is the same as already described previously. A further difference resides in the fact that, in steps e) and e), the shapes of the components are adapted not just by one, but by two different, previously selected individualizing production methods. The result of method steps d), e) and e) is components with different final shapes:
[0030] with each of the production methods selected in step d), individual, different final shapes of the components are achieved. In the case of the refinement of the method that is illustrated in FIG. 2 and is to this extent preferred, components with two different final shapes are produced by each of the individualizing production methods in steps e) and e), and therefore a total of four different final shapes are achieved. Alternatively thereto, three or more different final shapes can also be produced by each of the individualizing production methods in steps e) and e), and therefore a total of six or more final shapes are achieved. The components can also be processed successively by the two steps e) and e), which is illustrated in FIG. 2 by a connecting arrow between two said steps.
[0031] FIG. 3a to FIG. 3c illustrate different steps for producing a junction element 7 of a supporting structure by a method according to the invention. FIG. 3a shows a basic material 1 which is a metal sheet which is cut to size or is punched out. The basic material 1 is of T-shape design and therefore has three ends 2, 3, 4. Two ends 2, 3 are arranged lying opposite each other and lie on a common longitudinal axis 5. The third end 4 lies on a transverse axis 6 at right angles to the longitudinal axis 5. The basic material 1 from FIG. 3a is formed by a pressing or deep-drawing operation, and therefore a half shell (not illustrated in FIG. 3a) is produced. A plurality of said half shells are subsequently connected to one another by a joining operation, for example a welding method. By joining the half shells together, a junction element 7 of a supporting structure is produced, the junction element being illustrated by way of example in FIG. 3b. Weld seams 8 can be seen at the joining points of the junction element 7. The junction element 7 illustrated in FIG. 3b has three connecting points 9 which in this case are round openings for the connection of tubes (not illustrated). The connecting points 9 are produced in the region of the ends 2, 3, 4 and make it possible for a plurality of tubes to be able to be joined together by the junction elements 7 to form a supporting structure, for example scaffolding. Up to the stage illustrated in FIG. 3b, use has exclusively been made of unifying production methods, and therefore all of the junction elements 7 have a standard basic shape shown in FIG. 3b.
[0032] In order to be transferred from the standard basic shape (FIG. 3b) into the individualized final shape (FIG. 3c), the junction elements 7 are processed by an individualizing production method. For this purpose, because of the hollow shape of the junction elements 7 that is illustrated in FIG. 3b and FIG. 3c, in particular profile bending with an articulated mandrel is appropriate. To this end, a mandrel (not illustrated in FIG. 3b and FIG. 3c) is inserted into the two connecting points 9 lying on the longitudinal axis 5 and is bent downward, wherein plastic deformation of the junction element 7 takes place in the region of the two opposite ends 2, 3 of the junction element 7. This has the consequence that the two opposite connecting points 9 lie on a longitudinal axis 5 which is inclined by an angle in relation to the original longitudinal axis 5. In the situation illustrated in FIG. 3c, the angle is identical on both sides; alternatively thereto, different angles of inclination a can also be set. The angle is preferably within the range of between 5 and 25. By contrast, in the region of the third, upper connecting point 9, the junction element 7 has not been deformed, and therefore the upper connecting point 9 continues to be arranged on the transverse axis 6. After carrying out the method, the rigidity of the junction elements 7 can be further increased, for example by the introduction of bulkhead plates.
[0033] By means of the use of an individualizing production method, smaller quantities of junction elements 7 with a different final shape (FIG. 3c) can be produced according to demand from a large quantity of series or mass manufactured junction elements 7 with an identical basic shape (FIG. 3b). The different final shapes can arise, for example, because of an individual setting of different angles of inclination . The concept according to the invention is not restricted to junction elements 7 of a supporting structure, but rather can be transferred to the production of other components.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0034] 1: Basic material
[0035] 2, 3, 4: End
[0036] 5, 5: Longitudinal axis
[0037] 6: Transverse axis
[0038] 7: Component, in particular junction element
[0039] 8: Weld seam
[0040] 9: Connecting point
[0041] Angle
